Automatic projection printing machine



Oct. 5, 1954 K. w. ASHTON AUTOMATIC PROJECTION PRINTING MACHINE 3Sheets-Shee l Filed Jan. 51, 1951 `m Nhmwhm 1N V EN TOR.

AT TO RNEY Oct. 5, 1954 K, w. ASHTON AUTOMATIC PROJECTION PRINTINGMACHINE Filed Jan. 3l, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 .num 1 flllml INVENTOR.

ilI/-QNNETH W. ASHTO N ATTORNEY Oct. 5, 1954 K, w. ASHTON 2,690,696

AUTOMATIC PROJECTION PRINTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 3l, 1951IS'Sheets-Sheet 5 ON N IN J/I R6 mm wm 0T m Mmm d J m, TH JIH/ 6m MS WAI `M m: .m m/n W M 7 \J, Tum Jill. m:\ el N E .K \w (mm @W Aww@ O@\ m0 0W@ \N H n@ Nw .VN wn m m. N 2 M j Q M m. wb mv n AT TORNEY Patented Oct.5, 1.9574' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC PROJECTION PRINTINGMACHINE 2 Claims. l

This invention relates to improvements in automatic projecting printingmachines, which are particularly adapted for making photographic printsfrom projected. images.

The primary object of the invention is to pro-4 vide an automaticprinting machine wherein a series of prints can be automatically made,one after the other from a projected image on a single large sheet ofphotographic paper.

This machine is so designed as to receive a large sheet of photographicpaper so that a series o f exposures can be made throughout the width ofthe sheet. rIhen by moving the sheet transversely of the line ofprinting the width of a single exposure, the paper can be moved acrossunder the projected image exposing still another row of pictures for anydesired number of rows of prints, or until the entire sheet has beenexposed to the projected image.

'My new and improved printing machine pro.- vides an automatic printerfor the photographer wherein he can use a large sheet of paper making aseries of exposures thereon instead of using small sheets with oneexposure being made on each sheet. This eliminates the handling ofindividual prints in exposing, developing, drying and sorting. By usinga large sheet having a series of exposures thereon, no more handling isnecessary than was` required when one exposure was made on a small sheetby the old method.

These and other incidental objects will be apparent in the drawings,specification and claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan View of my new and improved automatic printingmachine.

Figure 2 is a side sectional view, taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1,looking in the direction indi-y cated.

Figure 3 is an end sectional View, taken on line `."1---3 of Figure 1,looking in the direction indicated.

Figure 4f is an enlarged fragmentary view of the secondary carriagelocking device, taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a side View of Figure 4, taken on line 5,-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary end sectional view of the feed mechanism formoving the carriage, taken on line 6-6 of Figure 8.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary perspective view of part of the platform feedmechanism shown in perspective for conveience of illustration.

Figure 8 is a plan view of the machine, having its cover or light shieldremoved therefrom for convenience of illustrating the various Darts.

Figure 9 is a diagrammatical wiring layout of the electriccontrolsystem.

Figure 10 is a sectional View` of the automatic timer mechanism taken online Iii-Eil of Figure 9.

Referring more specifically to the drawings:

My new and improved automatic printingmachine comprises a tableincluding a platform I, mounted on supporting legs 2. primary care riage3 is mounted upon the platform I by way of trunnion wheels 4; running onV-shaped rails 5 fixed on said platform I and extending lon. gitudinallythereof. These trunnion wheelsare securely journalled on the carriage 3so that there will be no looseness or side play developed in themovement of the carriage over the rails.

A secondary carriage 6 is mounted upon the primary carriage 3 by way ofthe trunnion wheels 1 running on transverse V-shaped rails 0. The saidrails 8 are iixedly secured to the primary carriage 3, best illustratedin Figures 2 and 8. These trunnions and rails are also of precisiondesign for preventing any side movement oi the secondary carriage 6 inoperation.

The carriages 3 and Il5 operate underneath a cover 9 acting as a lightshield, which. completely covers the machine excepting that an openingIIJ is located in the said shield through which. the image beingprojected from the projection lamp II passes, best illustrated inFigures l, 2 and 8, on to the upper surface of the secondary carriage 6as indicated by the broken lines I2. The printing paper is indicated atI3 and is held in place on top of the secondary carriage 6 by theguide-` ways i4, which are secured to the top of the secondary carriage.

Cables I5 are deadfended to the carriage 3 at I6 at one of their endsand trained over the sheaves Il, best illustrated in Figures 2 and 8,having counterweights I8 affixed to their opposite ends. Thesecounterweights pull the primary carriage in the direction of the arrow C(Fig. 8) at all times.

A holding dog IYQ is associated with a core 20 of the solenoid 2| whichis fixedly secured at 2 2 to the carriage 3. The dog I9 engages thelocking latch 23 and holds the carriage 3 in the position shown in thedrawings, best illustrated in Figure 2,. The said latch 23 is in theform. of a bell crank 23A and is pivotally connected to the platform Iat 24. The bell crank 23A is also connected to the core 25 of thesolenoid 2S. The ope eration of which will be more fully described lateron.

The secondary carriage 6 has cables 21 `secured 3 thereto at 23 andpassing over the sheaves 23 with counterweights 35 afxed thereto. Thesecables and counterweights pull the secondary carriage in the directionof the arrow D (Fig. 8). This carriage is held against the pull of theseweights by the locking pawl 3l, referring to Figures 4 and 5, whichforms part of the bell crank 32, the said crank is pivotally mounted at33 to the bracket 34. The said bracket 34 is lixedly secured to thecarriage 6 as best illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. The operation of thispawl is controlled by the solenoid 35, which will be more fullydescribed later on.

I will now describe the operation of my new and improved automaticprinting machine, referring to Figure 9. The carriages 3 and S arepositioned as illustrated in the drawings. The image of the negativewithin the enlarger II is projected through the opening I9 on to a pieceof paper 35, which is secured to the secondary carriage and has the samethickness of the print paper I3. The image is indicated by the brokenlines I2. This allows the photographer to focus the image withoutdestroying any of the print paper I3.

The image from the negative located in the enlarger lamp I I is focusedon the test paper 3S by closing the switch 3'I within the timing unit38. An electric circuit will be completed from the supply line B,conductors 39, 39A switch 31, conductor 39B, lamp IIA within theenlarger and back to the main line A.

The printer is next set into automatic operation by pressing the button49 manually. The button 49 will cause the lever 4I to pivot about itspivot support 4IB engaging the plunger 42 of the switch 43, closing thecontacts 44 completing an electric circuit from the main line B,conductor 39, switch 43, conductor 45, conductor 43, conductor 39B,projection lamp IIA back into the line A.

When the lever 4I was pushed down by the bottom 45 the end 45A of thelever contacted the bell crank 41, which is connected to the switch bar31 and the switch bar 31A by way of the link 49. This opened the switch3i and closed the switch 31A completing an electric circuit through theswitch 43, conductor 45, conductor 5, switch 31A, conductor 59, solenoid5l, conductcr 52 back to the main line A. Energization of the solenoid Iraises its core 53 to the dotted position where it will remain.

Electric energy also is delivered from the switch 43, conductor 45,conductor 54 to the inotor 55, which will begin to rotate the worm wheelby way of the worm 51 in the direction of the arrow. Electric energyalso is delivered from the conductor 54 by way of the flexible conductorSi to the solenoid 53. The solenoid 53 is `mounted to the circuitbreaker arm 59, best illustrated in Figures 9 and l0.

Referring to Figures 9 and l0, the circuit breaker arm 55 is rotatablymounted on the stationary stub shaft EG. A coil spring 5i has one of itsends connected to the arm 59 at 52, while its opposite end passesthrough the sha-it at 33. This spring is so mounted so as to rotate thebreaker arm 55 in theopposite direction of rotation to that of the wormgear 5S. The position of the breaker arm 59 will be determined by thestop pin E4, which is i'ixedly secure-:l to the crank arm 35. The hub 56of the crank arm 55 rotates on the shaft 5B and within the bearing 6'.'or the case 59 of the timing unit. A hand knob 89 is keyed to the hub'53 and-has 4 a pointer l0 forming part thereof, referring to' Figures 8and 10. The position of the stop pin G4 is determined by the operatorrevolving the hand knob G9 and the pointer 'I0 over the dial 1l.

In the operation of the timer, the operator revolves the knob 53 so asto position the stop pin 64, as for instance in the position illustratedin Figures 8, 9 and 10. This will allow the spring 5I to rotate thebreaker arm 59 to the position shown against the stop 54. When thesolenoid 58 was energized it caused its core 'i2 to engage the notchesor depressions 'I3 formed on the side of the worm wheel 55, thereforewhen the motor 55 was started by being energized it will rotate the gearwheel 56 in the direction of the arrow, together with the breaker arm59.

When the breaker arm 59 reaches the trigger lever i4 it will unlatch thedog l5 from the end 'i5 oi the plunger 42 o1" the switch 43, allowingthe spring il to raise the switch 43 to the open position shown in thedrawing, breaking the electric circuit through the contacts 44, turningoi the enlarging lamp I IA and stopping the motor 55 and releasing thetip oi' the core I2 of the solenoid 52 from the depressions T3, whichallows the spring 6I to return the breaker arm 59 to its startingposition against the stop pin 34, The position of the stop pin 64 willdetermine how long it will take for the breaker arm 59 to reach and openthe switch 43, thereby governing the time of exposure.

Returning back now to when the switch 43 was closed and the solenoid 5Iwas energized, I will describe what happens when the switch 43 wasopened as above described. When the switch 43 was opened the solenoid 5Iwas demagnetized, allowing the spring '16 to return the core 53 to theposition illustrated in the drawings. l/Vnen the head 53A of the coreengaged the tip 'i9 of the pivotally mounted switch operating bar 35, itcaused the said bar to close the switch 3| momentarily. This deliveredelectrical current from the main line conductor B through the switch 8l,conductor 82 into the solenoid 2| causing its core 23 to disenga-ge theholding dog I9 from the locking latch 23. This permitted the carriage 3to be inoved in the direction of the arrow until the locking dog I9engaged the switch 83.

This switch performs a dual purpose, it provides a stop for holding thefurther movement of the carriage by the action of the counterweights I9,and also closes an electric circuit from the main line B by way of theconductor B4, into the solenoid 35. This causes the end 86 of the core8"? of the solenoid 85 to strike the end 88 of the bar 4I, pivoting itabout its pivot point lB and causing it to force the plunger 42 of theswitch 43 down again closing the contacts 44, which will energize theprojection lamp IIA starting the motor 55, engaging the core 'l2 of thesolenoid 53 with the notches 'i3 termed on the side of the worm gear 55,causing the breaker arm to again travel towards the trigger latch 14when it will reopen'the switch 43, at which time the exposure will havebeen made 'on the paper I3 indicated by the broken line 89, referring toFigure 8.

When the switch 43 is opened4 it will again cause the solenoid 5I toclose the switch 9| energizing the solenoid 2l unlatching the lockingdog i9 from the switch 83,'a1lowing thecarriage 3 to again move in thedirection of the arrow until the dog I9 engages the switch 9U, repeatinganother cycle of operation.

In regards to the operation of the switches 3T and 37A, the switch bar31A will remain closed during automatic operation until the operatoropens the same by way of the switch arm 31B for further testing andfocusing of the images.

Referring to Figure 9, when the carriage 3 reached the end of itstravel, or having completed the last print indicated by the broken lines9i, it will have come against the stops 92 on the tracks 5, stopping itsfurther movement. Simultaneously therewith the switch operating arm 93will engage the switch bar 94 causing it to take the dotted positionindicated in Figure 9, which will close an electric circuit from themain line B through the conductor 35, motor 96, conductor el, throughthe switch bar 94, conductor 98 and back to the main line A. The motor96 rotates the threaded shaft 99 by way of the driving belt IIlIl andits associated pulleys, referring to Figures 2, 3 and 8.

When the switch Sri was closed another electric circuit was completedfrom the conductor 91, through the conductor IGI, solenoid IEi2,conductor m3 back to the main line A by way of the conductor $38. Thesolenoid I02 is connected to a clutch element Iilt which consists of aninternal threaded head MI5, referring to Figure 7, forming part of theplunger Idd. This element is mounted to the forward edge IIll of thecarriage 3, referring particularly to Figures 7 and 8 by way of thebearing support |98.

The core IGS of the solenoid 32 is connected to this threaded unit byway of the link I I When the solenoid m2 is energized it pulls thethreaded head m5 of this clutch unit into engagement with the threadedshaft 99, and as the shaft 99 is rotated it will move this threaded headalong the shaft, moving the carriage 3 in the opposite direction to thearrow C, until the carriage reaches the position illustrated in thedrawings, when the dog I9 will engage the locking latch 23, or willre-engage the switch 83 instead.

In the event of continuous operation, the carriage will not be arrestedby the locking latch 23, which will be more fully described later on.When the carriage has reached the position illustrated in the drawings,a oating switch operating bar I II will open the switch 94. The switchoperating arm I I I floats on the spring mounting I I2, the object ofwhich is to permit the carriage to overrun slightly in its movementafter the motor 9E is de-energized.

On the return of the carriage 3 towards its starting position, it isdesirable to allow the secondary carriage 6 to move in the direction ofthe arrow D, referring to Figures 3 and 8, so as to bring the brokenline positions II3 under the opening I0 of the light shield and theprojected image being printed. This is accomplished by the switchoperating arm 93 closing the switch I III, which energizes the solenoid36 by way of the conductor H5, which is connected to the conductor 98,switch I I4, solenoid 36, conductor llt, conductor II'I, back to themain line B.

When the solenoid 36 is energized it will pull the core 36A, pivotingthe bell crank 32 about its pivot 33 unlatching the pawl 3I from thestop I I8, the stop I I3 being part of the primary carriage 3. This willallow the carriage 6 to be moved in the direction of the arrow D by itscounterweights 3S, until the pawl 3I strikes the switch I I9, which actsas a stop for the carriage.

When the carriage 3 reaches the end of its return travel in the oppositedirection of the arrow by the action of the rotation of the screw 6thread 99 within the nut |05, it can be held in the position shown inthe drawings by the action of the dog I3 against the latch 23, or thesame may pass the latch 2:3 when the-latch is in the dotted position,referring to Figure 2f, and contact the switch 83 as above described. Incase the movement of the carriage is not arrested by the latch 23, theprinter will go on printing as indicated by the broken lines I I3.

Referring to Figure 9, in the event of continuous printing operation themanual switch im is opened as shown, therefore when the dog 3l contactedthe switch IIS in the movement of the carriage an electric circuit willnot be completed through the solenoid Z6, therefore the latch 23 willremain in the dotted position allowing the dog I9 to pass the same bythe action of the counterweights on the carriage 3, the dog I9 engagingthe switch 83 which will close an electric circuit through the solenoid85, causing the arm I to start the timing unit as above described,turning on the projection lamp resetting the solenoid 5I and causing themotor 55 to operate the timing unit until the breaker arm 59 releasesthe switch d3, breaking the circuit therethrough, which will allow thesolenoid 5I to close the switch BI unlocking the dog I3 from the switch83 and allowing it to contact the switch 99 again completing a cycle ofoperation.

In the event it is desirable to print but one row of pictures, theswitch I2il would be closed so that when the pawl 3! closed the switchIIS electric energy would flow from the main line conductor B throughthe conductor II'I, conductor Ii, switch IZS, switch I I9 through theconductor Iii', solenoid 2d, conductor IES, back to the main line A.This will move the stop latch 23 from the dotted position to the fullline position where it will arrest the movement of the carriage 3 by wayof the stop dog IS, as illustrated in the drawings.

S0 long as the solenoid 2S is not energized the latch will remain in thedotted position out of registry with the dog I9, which will go past thesame on the return of the carriage 3 until it strikes the rst switch 83,which will arrest the movement of the carriage and cause the timing unit38 to again go into operation.

When the pawl 3l of the carriage 6 reaches the switch |24 it willoperate the solenoid 26, stopping the operation of the machine, whichwould be the position indicated by the broken lines IE5, referring toFigure 8.

While I have illustrated a specific mechanical and electrical apparatusfor moving the printing paper under a projected image printing on thepaper rows of prints, I 'do not wish to be limited to this exactmechanical and electrical layout as other methods may be employed tomove the sheet under the projected image, but the layout that I haveillustrated is admirably adapted to carry out this particular movementof the photographic printing paper for the desired number of prints onthe sheet.

Also, the embodiment described comprehends the movement of theprojection lamp II and cover 9 with its opening I0, or other suitableopaque member having such an opening, and a support or carriage bearingthe printing paper and thus, the printing paper itself relatively asdescribed or otherwise, to intermittently present successive rows ofsections of the printing paper for exposure and successively exposesuccessive sections of each row for projection and printing of the imageon the paper. In the form described, the paper is moved under theexposure opening in rows covering the entire sheet of paper withexposures on the printing paper, but broadly, the lamp and opening, andthe paper, are moved relatively. Thus, the invention comprehends movingthe paper relative to or beneath the lamp or lamp and opening, or thelamp and opening relative to or over the paper, so that, fundamentally,the invention really consists of printing a series of exposures over onepiece of printing paper so that all exposures can be developed at oneand the same time and similarly or otherwise handled or dried.

What I claim is:

1. In an automatic projection printing machine, a projection lamp forprojecting an image, a support for a sheet of printing paper of a sizeembodying a plurality of rows of sections each the size of the projectedimage to be reproduced on the paper, means over the sheet having anexposure opening through which the image is projected onto the paper,means to automatically turn the lamp on and ofi, means for producingintermittent relative movement between said support and said exposureopening to intermittently present successive sections for exposure, andmeans operable in sequence with the intermittent relative movementsbetween said support and opening to energize said lamp between suchmovements to successively expose successive sections fcr projection andprinting of the image on thc paper.

2. In an automatic projection printing ma* chine, a carriage movablysupported, means for successively moving the carriage in one directionin degrees equal to one dimension of a projected image to be printed, asecond carriage movable across the first carriage and adapted to supporta sheet of print paper of a size embodying a plurality of rows ofsections the size of the projected image to be printed thereon, meansfor moving the second carriage across the rst carriage in degrees equalto the other dimension of the projected image and any space between theimages to successively expose a plurality of sections of the print paperin a row for printing, means for returning the second carriage to itsinitial position, and means actuated by said first carriage uponcompletion of its movement in the one direction for returning the firstcarriage to its initial position, said means for successively movingsaid first carriage comprising means for moving said carriage in onedirection, a series of spaced means for successively stopping saidcarriage for each image area of a row on the print paper, a retractiblestop device aligned with and spaced from said series of spaced stoppingmeans for stopping said carriage with the exposure area beyond the printsheet area, whereby the image may be projected on a piece of test paperin advance of the print paper to obtain the proper exposure and focus ofthe image prior to exposure and projection thereof onto the print paper,and means for retracting said stop to release and prevent stopping saidcarriage during successive passages to permit movement of the rstcarriage together with the second carriage and print paper thereon toregular exposure position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,525,798 Boedicker Feb. 10, 1925 1,805,202 Boedicker May 12,1931 2,172,283 Kirby Sept. 5, 1939 2,348,457 Drehs May 9, 1944 2,369,981Reyniers Feb. 20, 1945 2,441,919 Lockrey May 18, 1948 2,573,278 RowevOct. 30, 1951

